diff --git a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithBondSharingImpl.java b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithBondSharingImpl.java
index da1e5ae..f14e359 100644
--- a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithBondSharingImpl.java
+++ b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithBondSharingImpl.java
@@ -60,8 +60,11 @@ import no.nordicsemi.android.dfu.internal.exception.UploadAbortedException;
 		final BluetoothGattService dfuService = gatt.getService(BUTTONLESS_DFU_SERVICE_UUID);
 		if (dfuService == null)
 			return false;
-		mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(BUTTONLESS_DFU_UUID);
-		return mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic != null;
+		final BluetoothGattCharacteristic characteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(BUTTONLESS_DFU_UUID);
+		if (characteristic == null || characteristic.getDescriptor(CLIENT_CHARACTERISTIC_CONFIG) == null)
+			return false;
+		mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic = characteristic;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithoutBondSharingImpl.java b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithoutBondSharingImpl.java
index 0ec226d..efdb828 100644
--- a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithoutBondSharingImpl.java
+++ b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ButtonlessDfuWithoutBondSharingImpl.java
@@ -69,8 +69,11 @@ import no.nordicsemi.android.dfu.internal.exception.UploadAbortedException;
 		final BluetoothGattService dfuService = gatt.getService(BUTTONLESS_DFU_SERVICE_UUID);
 		if (dfuService == null)
 			return false;
-		mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(BUTTONLESS_DFU_UUID);
-		return mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic != null;
+		final BluetoothGattCharacteristic characteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(BUTTONLESS_DFU_UUID);
+		if (characteristic == null || characteristic.getDescriptor(CLIENT_CHARACTERISTIC_CONFIG) == null)
+			return false;
+		mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic = characteristic;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ExperimentalButtonlessDfuImpl.java b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ExperimentalButtonlessDfuImpl.java
index f238beb..3a8574f 100644
--- a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ExperimentalButtonlessDfuImpl.java
+++ b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/ExperimentalButtonlessDfuImpl.java
@@ -59,8 +59,11 @@ import no.nordicsemi.android.dfu.internal.exception.UploadAbortedException;
 		final BluetoothGattService dfuService = gatt.getService(EXPERIMENTAL_BUTTONLESS_DFU_SERVICE_UUID);
 		if (dfuService == null)
 			return false;
-		mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(EXPERIMENTAL_BUTTONLESS_DFU_UUID);
-		return mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic != null;
+		final BluetoothGattCharacteristic characteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(EXPERIMENTAL_BUTTONLESS_DFU_UUID);
+		if (characteristic == null || characteristic.getDescriptor(CLIENT_CHARACTERISTIC_CONFIG) == null)
+			return false;
+		mButtonlessDfuCharacteristic = characteristic;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyButtonlessDfuImpl.java b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyButtonlessDfuImpl.java
index 8175bc6..06b023a 100644
--- a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyButtonlessDfuImpl.java
+++ b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyButtonlessDfuImpl.java
@@ -58,9 +58,10 @@ import no.nordicsemi.android.dfu.internal.exception.UploadAbortedException;
 		final BluetoothGattService dfuService = gatt.getService(DFU_SERVICE_UUID);
 		if (dfuService == null)
 			return false;
-		mControlPointCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_CONTROL_POINT_UUID);
-		if (mControlPointCharacteristic == null)
+		final BluetoothGattCharacteristic characteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_CONTROL_POINT_UUID);
+		if (characteristic == null || characteristic.getDescriptor(CLIENT_CHARACTERISTIC_CONFIG) == null)
 			return false;
+		mControlPointCharacteristic = characteristic;
 
 		mProgressInfo.setProgress(DfuBaseService.PROGRESS_STARTING);
 
diff --git a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyDfuImpl.java b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyDfuImpl.java
index 407c49b..d0bf37a 100644
--- a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyDfuImpl.java
+++ b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/LegacyDfuImpl.java
@@ -132,9 +132,12 @@ import no.nordicsemi.android.error.LegacyDfuError;
 		final BluetoothGattService dfuService = gatt.getService(DFU_SERVICE_UUID);
 		if (dfuService == null)
 			return false;
-		mControlPointCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_CONTROL_POINT_UUID);
+		final BluetoothGattCharacteristic characteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_CONTROL_POINT_UUID);
+		if (characteristic == null || characteristic.getDescriptor(CLIENT_CHARACTERISTIC_CONFIG) == null)
+			return false;
+		mControlPointCharacteristic = characteristic;
 		mPacketCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_PACKET_UUID);
-		return mControlPointCharacteristic != null && mPacketCharacteristic != null;
+		return mPacketCharacteristic != null;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/SecureDfuImpl.java b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/SecureDfuImpl.java
index dce2701..7edf56a 100644
--- a/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/SecureDfuImpl.java
+++ b/dfu/src/main/java/no/nordicsemi/android/dfu/SecureDfuImpl.java
@@ -148,9 +148,12 @@ import no.nordicsemi.android.error.SecureDfuError;
 		final BluetoothGattService dfuService = gatt.getService(DFU_SERVICE_UUID);
 		if (dfuService == null)
 			return false;
-		mControlPointCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_CONTROL_POINT_UUID);
+		final BluetoothGattCharacteristic characteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_CONTROL_POINT_UUID);
+		if (characteristic == null || characteristic.getDescriptor(CLIENT_CHARACTERISTIC_CONFIG) == null)
+			return false;
+		mControlPointCharacteristic = characteristic;
 		mPacketCharacteristic = dfuService.getCharacteristic(DFU_PACKET_UUID);
-		return mControlPointCharacteristic != null && mPacketCharacteristic != null;
+		return mPacketCharacteristic != null;
 	}
 
 	@Override